This invention relates to electrooptic deflectors of the type which are usable with so-called planar optical waveguides.
In many applications of both coherent and incoherent light for industrial, communication or data processing purposes, it is desired to deflect a light beam as efficiently and with as high a resolution as possible. Initially, proposals for such light beam deflectors employed active devices of a bulk nature, such as three-dimensional electrooptic crystal deflectors.
With the advent of waveguiding optics, including planar or thin-film optics, subsequent proposals were made for deflecting light beams in such media; and it was found that generally they were more effective and efficient than the prior bulk deflectors. Nevertheless, the electrodes utilized with waveguiding devices are unnecessarily inefficient and cumbersome to make. In addition, I have found that the finished device is not as simple as it might be.